Our Second Chance
by MegEvans1983
Summary: Ben and Meg have just broken up due to Benjy’s kidnapping and Meg blaming herself for it. She is raped by Jake; Benjy’s kidnapper underneath ‘The South Shore Pier’. Can Meg get over the abuse Jake caused on her soul?


Our Second Chance  
  
A Fan Fiction By Susanne  
  
Chapter 1 - Escaping From It All  
  
Ben had been in San Francisco all day on business for 'The Liberty Corporation' missing Meg terribly. He'd come to think about all of Sara's allegations against Tess and while waiting for the other business associates to come into the conference room he'd done an Internet check up on a Ms. Tess Marin and come up empty handed. A part of his reservations towards Tess was because he needed someone beside himself to blame for Meg leaving. But to be honest he'd have to acknowledge that the reason for her leaving was that she didn't think that he trusted her with Benjy anymore, which he did. He just hadn't answered her immediately when she'd asked him yesterday and that was his own fault.  
  
Ben had arrived at his home in Sunset Beach an hour ago and was now standing on the porch thinking about Meg and about how it could all have gone so wrong. One of the main reasons for this suddenly called his name  
  
Maria: "Ben? I didn't think you'd be home!"  
  
Ben: "Well.I am, aren't I?" He snapped a little at her.  
  
Maria: "Are you OK? You seem pretty."  
  
Ben: ".ANGRY? That's probably because I am! The love of my love isn't with me anymore; instead I'm with my ex - wife, our son and an obnoxious nanny!! So maybe, I'm not doing that great!!" He yelled at her angrily.  
  
Maria: "Look.I understand you being angry at anyone you can blame for Meg leaving last night, but just because she left doesn't mean that she doesn't love you anymore."  
  
Ben: "I'm well aware of that fact, thank you very much. But the fact of the matter is that she blames herself for Benjy's kidnapping - a kidnapping that Benjy doesn't even mind having been involved in. Which is a fact I still find a bit peculiar."  
  
Maria: "What is that supposed to mean?" She asked, not liking where his mind was going.  
  
Ben: "Just that.I feel Benjy got over that kidnapping way too fast. I mean.Not even 2 hours after he'd been found by me he was just fine. I just feel that there was much more to that kidnapping that meets the eye."  
  
Maria: "What are you saying? Are you saying that it was staged by a 5 year old?" She started to whimper.  
  
Ben: "Off course not! It's just.Nothing that's been happening for the past couple of months have made much sense to me. I mean.You falling of the boat and somehow ending up in Seattle - pregnant. Tess suddenly very conveniently showing up at my doorstep the day I'm supposed to have the divorce with you finalized and getting married to Meg in Venice and then.To make matters even worse our son is kidnapped by an unknown John Doe and then Meg leaves me because she thinks I don't trust her anymore and especially not where Benjy is concerned. It's just all been a BIT TOO MUCH!!" He ended breathlessly.  
  
Maria: "I am trying to remember! It's just going to take some time."  
  
Ben: "Well.Maria.Time is something we don't have much of. I need to get this taken care of and then I have to get Meg back into my life."  
  
Maria: "I thought.Didn't she want you to go on with your life - without her?"  
  
Ben: "Yeah.But I'm sure as hell not going to let her go after 3 years of trying to be with her. That just wouldn't be my style. I'm going to be with her, one way or the other." He promised.  
  
Maria: "What about Benjy? Aren't you afraid of his reaction?"  
  
Ben: "Right now all I care about is getting Meg back, I'm nothing without her Maria, she's everything to me, and in fact she's my life."  
  
Maria: "I know.I don't ever think I've heard you talk about US like that!"  
  
Ben: "I know that this must hurt Maria, but I've never been as in love with anyone as I am in Meg. I'd move the world for her just to make her happy and see her smile!" It had been too quiet at 'Surf Central' for Meg, so she'd gone for a walk and had somehow ended up underneath 'The South Shore Pier' - the only place where she could think. The events from the previous night were still fresh in her mind. How Ben had doubted her. She'd been able to see in his eyes how much he doubted in her, and the fact that he couldn't answer her question if their relationship was OK - had been the last drop.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Ben: "Don't leave because you think that's what a five-year-old wants."  
  
Meg: "He's not just any five-year-old, he's your son."  
  
Ben: "Just because he's my son, doesn't mean he should get what he wants."  
  
Meg: "I can live with Benjy resenting me or fearing me but there's one thing that I can't live with."  
  
Ben: "What? Tell me what it is."  
  
Meg: "What I can't live with is what I see in your eyes every time you look at me!"  
  
Ben: "Every time I look at you? Meg, I love you. That's the only thing there is to see."  
  
Meg: "Ben, you were this incredible fantasy to me. You were the soul mate that I always wanted and then I found you and I fell even more in love with you."  
  
Ben: "So did I."  
  
Meg: "I don't care what Tess thinks, I only care what you think."  
  
Ben: "You know what I feel for you. And in spite of what you said earlier, my feelings for you haven't changed."  
  
Meg: "It's just that every time I look at him, I'm reminded of the love you and Maria used to share."  
  
Ben: "Used to, used to being the operative word."  
  
Meg: "Ben, please, just answer one question for me. Are we gonna be all right?" Ben: "What...?"  
  
Meg: "Oh, you can't even say it, can you? Ben, I can't stay here anymore, I can't take it here anymore!"  
  
Ben: "Look.Just... Just hold on, all right? Stop thinking the worse and we might get through this."  
  
Meg: "No!! We're not going to get through this, don't you understand that?"  
  
Ben: "We'll just have to try a little harder, we can't give up, come on."  
  
Meg: "Why shouldn't we?"  
  
Ben: "Because I love you dammit and you love me!"  
  
Meg: "Ben, don't you see that it makes it ten times harder for me to leave but I've got to leave. Right now." And with that being said Meg left Ben.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Just as Meg was getting back to reality, she could feel a cold shiver run down her spine and suddenly without any warning a nine-inched blade was placed against her throat and a male voice said  
  
Voice: "Move and I'll make you very sorry. I want to see how it is to FUCK a rich man's mistress.If you as much as breathe a word or try to call for help I'll snap your neck!" And with that being said he turned her around and she could see the attacker's face. He was a handsome Italian man with black, curly hair.  
  
He suddenly grabbed Meg around the waist and carried her to a spot underneath the stairs, where he began to rib her clothes off, while Meg was paralyzed of shock.  
  
Chapter 2 - After The Abuse  
  
Casey & Sara had had a very long talk regarding their relationship and where it was headed. They talked about Sara's problems with his and Meg's friendship and Casey promised to be more aware of Sara's needs. They were beginning to worry about Meg, because it had been ages since they'd seen her at 'Surf Central'. Together they went to 'The South Shore Pier' because Sara knew that was where Meg liked to be to get some thinking done. As they reached the spot where the attacker had grabbed Meg, Casey noticed some footmarks of a pair of stiletto heels, which looked smeared as if the woman had been slid across the sand. Suddenly Casey looked towards the stairs and noticed a pair of stiletto heels sticking out from under the stairs and said to Sara  
  
Casey: "Stay here!" Sara immediately understood the seriousness of Casey's voice and stayed put.  
  
When Casey could see the owner of the stiletto heels he immediately knew that his worst fear had come true; it was Meg!  
  
Casey: "Oh my God! Meg!! Meg? Can you hear me?" Sara immediately came over to where Casey was feeling for a pulse on Meg's neck and frantically asked  
  
Sara: "What's happened? What can I do?"  
  
Casey: "Call 911 Sara! NOW!" He yelled, when Sara began to cry out of being worried for her sister. After Sara had talked to the dispatcher at 911 she said to Casey  
  
Sara: "They said that they'd be here as soon as possible. It would probably take them 10 minutes or so. She is going to be OK, isn't she?" She asked, as Casey checked her pulse again.  
  
Casey: "I don't know Sara. But the most important thing is to get her to the hospital so that the professionals can help." He replied.  
  
About 10 minutes later the paramedics showed up. They immediately went to Meg and began examining her, asking questions to Casey & Sara as they went.  
  
The Paramedic: "What's her name?"  
  
Sara: "Meg! Meg Cummings. Is she going to be OK?"  
  
The Paramedic: "We wont know that before they've checked her out at the hospital ms." The 2 paramedics got Meg strapped onto the stretcher and made it up to their vehicle with some assistance from Casey.  
  
The Paramedic: "You two can ride with us in the ambulance. Let's go!" He exclaimed, as he, Casey and Sara got into the back of the ambulance, while the 2nd paramedic drove the vehicle.  
  
When they arrived at the hospital luckily Tyus Robinson was on duty, who was Meg's normal doctor.  
  
Tyus: "My God! What has happened to her?"  
  
Sara: "We just found her like that underneath 'The South Shore Pier'. Please Tyus.You've got to help her - she's my big sister!" She begged him, while grabbing a hold of his coat.  
  
Tyus: "I promise to do my best Sara, you can count on that. Now, let go so that I can help her." Casey got Sara to let go of Tyus' coat and sat down with her in the waiting room, while the 2 paramedics explained the situation to Tyus.  
  
After Meg had been in the examination room for approximately 2 hours Tyus emerged from the room with a sad look upon his face.  
  
Casey: "Oh my God! How bad is it?" He asked, as Tyus had made his way to where Casey & Sara were sitting.  
  
Tyus: "I really can't tell you Casey. You're not immediate family. But off course if Sara doesn't mind."  
  
Sara: "Just tell me.What's wrong with my sister?" She asked scared.  
  
Tyus: "There's no easy way to tell you this - Meg was raped. And whoever did it, did a good job in scaring her for life. I think you have to call your parents Sara!" He said.  
  
Ben had hardly slept all night. He had had the feeling of someone walking over his grave all night. The same kind of feeling he always had when he wasn't with Meg and something had happened to her. It had been the same back when he'd been in jail and Derek had taken Meg up to the cabin where he and Maria used to go in their happier days as a married couple.  
  
Ben: "God! I just hope she's OK!" He uttered out loud, as he was gazing upon Meg's angelic face in the framed picture of her, which was placed as always on the desk in the livingroom. Benjy: "You hope who's OK daddy?" He asked, appearing in front of Ben wearing his pajamas.  
  
Ben: "Someone very special son!"  
  
Benjy: "Mommy?" He asked all smiles.  
  
Ben: "No, not mommy. Come here son.!" He said, indicating the couch where they both sat down and he continued  
  
Ben: ".You know that your mommy will always have a very special place in my heart because she gave my you - my first born son. But.However the woman, whom I will always love is Meg, and not your mommy. It's Meg I'm worried about right now. I haven't heard from her in a very long time."  
  
Benjy: "Why not?" He asked, as if it was the easiest question in the world for Ben to answer.  
  
Ben: "Because.She thinks I blame her for what happened to you the other day. You know.The kidnapping. Benjy?"  
  
Benjy: "Yes daddy!"  
  
Ben: "Is there anything about what happened that day that you've left out. I mean.Could there be anyone or anything you'd like to tell mommy or daddy about?" He asked, wanting a resolution to this ever-present limbo he was living in.  
  
Benjy: "Not really." He answered hesitating, because he didn't know if he should tell the truth about Jake & Tess or just keep quiet like Tess had told him to.  
  
Maria: "Benjy!! It's time to get ready for your sleep over at Zack's!!" She yelled, down the stairs.  
  
Benjy: "I'm coming mommy! Bye daddy!!" He exclaimed, as he made his way past Ben and up the stairs.  
  
Ben: "Bye Benjy!" He replied, as he went down to the beach to run his morning jog.  
  
While he was running he couldn't help but notice the 'SBPD' trucks and cars parked around 'The South Shore Pier'. Ben: "I wonder what's happened there! Oh well.Probably some youngsters spray mailing the concrete walls again." He said out loud, while two young women passed him, where one of them said  
  
Young Woman: "I can't believe some pervert is up to no good again Diana. And then on such a beautiful woman like her. Too bad she wasn't with her man!" When they'd passed Ben by a couple of feet, Diana whispered  
  
Diana: "Are you crazy Colleen? That was Ben Evans, he's her ex fiancée!!"  
  
Colleen: "SORRY! How was I supposed to know that?"  
  
Diana: "You could read 'The Sunset Beach Sentinel' like the rest of us, you bonehead." She teased her friend as Ben's cell phone suddenly rang and he answered it and could tell by the caller's heavy breathing that it wasn't good news he was about to receive.  
  
Caller: "Ben? It's Sara! Something happened last night to Meg."  
  
Ben: "Sara? What has happened to her? Sara?" He yelled frantically into the phone.  
  
Sara: "Just come to 'South Bay General' right away, OK?!" She replied, before hanging up.  
  
Chapter 3 - Getting Released  
  
When Ben arrived at 'South Bay General' Hank, Casey & Sara were in the waiting area. Hank immediately spotted Ben and exclaimed  
  
Hank: "What are you doing here Evans? Haven't you hurt Meggie enough already?"  
  
Sara: "DAD! I told him to come!"  
  
Hank: "Why would you do a thing like that Sara?"  
  
Sara: "Maybe because Ben is all the medicine that Meg needs right now. And they love each other very much."  
  
Ben: "Sara is right Hank. I do love Meg very much, in fact.I love her so much sometimes that it scares me." Casey: "I think that we should all just cool it. The only person who Meg wanted to see is in there with her."  
  
Ben: "What do you mean? Who's in there with her?"  
  
Casey: "Joan just walked in!"  
  
Hank: "I really can't see what you can do for Meggie. Being raped is something no one can erase!" He explained, and knew at once that Ben didn't know about what had happened to Meg.  
  
Ben: "She was what?!"  
  
Casey: "Sara and I found her underneath 'The South Shore Pier' and called 911. Tyus was out before and told us about how Meg was doing. He said that she'd have a tough time getting past this."  
  
Ben: "Then.What's the plan?"  
  
Casey: "For the time being it's probably best if Meg comes back to 'Surf Central' with Sara and me." He explained, and knew that he was breaking any hopes Ben had ever had of him and Meg reuniting at the moment.  
  
When Joan had entered the room she'd spotted Meg sitting on the bed, staring into empty space. Joan could see that Meg had been crying.  
  
Joan: "Meggie?" She asked out loud before approaching her.  
  
Meg: "Mom!" She exclaimed, looking at her mother scared silly.  
  
Joan: "I'm right here for you baby and so is your dad, Sara and Casey. We're all here for you when you need us." She comforted Meg as she took her into her embrace and held her close.  
  
Meg: "Í don't know what I'm going to do now! Why do these things keep on happening to me?!" She asked loudly.  
  
Joan: "I don't know honey. Maybe.To test your and Ben's love for each other. I'm not saying that you had this coming, because no one does. But.There are a lot of obstacles in life and one of them is to trust the one you love with all of your mind and soul." She tried to explain, as she brushed Meg's hair away from her tear filled eyes.  
  
Meg: "I don't know if there'll ever be a Ben and me again. I mean.What happened." She stopped in mid sentence not able to continue.  
  
Joan: "What happened to you was horrible and it wasn't supposed to have happened. But it did.And now you have an obstacle to overcome here, but the only way that'll happen is with support and love."  
  
Meg: "Well.I've got the love of my family and friends and that's all the love I need." She smiled at her mother wrapping her arms around Joan's neck.  
  
Joan: "Off course we're here for you Meggie, but you do need more than that. You need to know that someone special is there for you - always. And we both know that that certain someone for you is - Ben Evans.!" She exclaimed smiling.  
  
Just as Joan was about to continue on giving her input on the situation there was a knock on the door, and shortly thereafter Tyus poked his head into the room.  
  
Tyus: "Meg.Joan? May I come in?" He asked waiting for Meg to answer him.  
  
Meg: "Off course you may Tyus!" She smiled sadly.  
  
Joan: "Maybe I should let the two of you talk alone?"  
  
Meg: "No mom! Please stay OK?" She pleaded with her mother and because Joan knew how much Meg had already been through she stayed with her as Tyus started to talk  
  
Tyus: "I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through Meg, but.I do know that you have to deal with it. So.Here's the card of this hospital's best psychiatrist in this field and I do hope that you'll go and see her." He explained, as he handed her the card where it said:  
  
Lynda Garcia Psychiatrist at 'South Bay General' Sunset Beach, CA  
  
Meg: "I'll think about it OK? That's just about everything I can promise you at this time Tyus." She said, excepting the card from him. Tyus: "That's fine, but just make sure that you get it talked through. If not with Lynda Garcia or me then with a family member of a friend of yours?"  
  
Meg: "I promise!" She smiled at him as she placed the card in her purse.  
  
Joan: "Honey? I'll leave you to get yourself ready to go home and your dad and I will take care of your release papers."  
  
Meg: "OK! Thanks mom!" She exclaimed, as she gave her mother a huge hug.  
  
Joan: "You don't have to thank me. You're my daughter Meggie, and I'd move heaven on earth for you if that was what it took." She replied, as she gave Meg one last squeeze before making it out of the door together with Tyus.  
  
When Joan entered the waiting room she immediately noticed Ben standing together with Hank, Casey & Sara and felt a kind of relief knowing that Ben did want to help Meg through her ordeal.  
  
Joan: "Ben! I'm so glad you're here!" She exclaimed, as she gave him a hug.  
  
Ben: "How is Meg?" He asked, worried sick about the lady of his life.  
  
Joan: "She's as good as can be expected. Hank? Let's get Meggie's release papers in order, OK?!" She asked, not wanting Hank & Ben to end in each other's hair.  
  
Hank: "Sure Joannie!" He answered, going with Joan to the nurses' station.  
  
Ben: "What about the son of a bitch, who did that to Meg? Any news on him?"  
  
Casey: "Ruiz & Spencer were here before and talked to Meg and Tyus conducted some tests on Meg. Don't worry Ben.'SBPD' can handle this. The last thing any of us need right now is for you to go half cocked and chase down this moron, least of all Meg."  
  
Ben: "Who said anything about me going after him?"  
  
Sara: "Ben? Everyone in this town knows how you feel about my sister. But Casey is right, going after this guy will not make matters better, in fact it would make them worse. Let's let Ruiz, Spencer and the rest of 'SBPD' take care of that awful man and meanwhile you can take care of Meg?"  
  
Ben: "That seems pretty impossible right now, considering she wont even talk to me."  
  
Casey: "That will change in some time!!" He tried to explain as the door to Meg's room opened and Meg appeared in the doorway. Ben & Meg's eyes locked immediately and both Casey & Sara could sense that all both Ben & Meg wanted was to hold each other, but it would also take Meg some time to be able to feel secure with a man again.  
  
Hank: "Sweetheart? You're a free woman, let's get you home to 'Surf Central' so that you can get some sleep, huh?" Meg simply went with him, leaving her heart with Ben.  
  
Chapter 4 - Getting 'Home'  
  
About an hour after Casey, Sara & Meg had arrived home at 'Surf Central' Sara & Meg were making some sandwiches, while Casey made some calls to work to get some time off.  
  
Sara: "I just don't think that now is such a great time for you to let go of Ben!" She tried to explain to her sister.  
  
Meg: "Sara! I don't want to talk about Ben right now, OK? And I know that he wont give up on me. I guess.I don't want to give up on him either, but I have too."  
  
Sara: "Because of Benjy right?" She immediately guessed.  
  
Meg: "What else could it be?" She asked, not liking where her sister's mind was headed.  
  
Sara: "Look.Meg I'm not trying to hurt you or anything. But the fact of the matter is that you're known in your relationship with Ben to pull away from him when something goes wrong."  
  
Meg: "Well.Something did go wrong didn't it?" She growled, surprised of how easily her own sister was taking her being raped by a maniac.  
  
Sara: "Meg, I didn't mean to sound like I didn't care. You're my sister and I love you more than anything."  
  
Meg: "So.That's why you felt threatened by me - because you loved me that much." Sara: "Meg.That's so not fair!!"  
  
Meg: "No!! Do you want to know what's not fair? My being raped is what's not fair SARA!! My not being able to trust another man ever again isn't fair!!" She yelled at her sister.  
  
Sara: "Meg.I'm sorry! Let's just finish making these sandwiches. I think we're both just a little too tensed concerning what's happened these past couple of days."  
  
Casey: "Hey.What's going on in here. I could hear you all the way in the livingroom!" He asked, as he made it into the kitchen.  
  
Meg: "Nothing's wrong Case! I guess I'm just more tired than I originally thought. I think I'm just going to go to bed." She explained, heading for the door.  
  
Sara: "What about the sandwiches? You have to eat something Meg!" She worried about her sister.  
  
Meg: "I'll eat something later. I'll just take some water into my room for when I get thirsty. Good night you guys!" She exclaimed, as she went upstairs to bed.  
  
Casey: "Good night Meg!" He replied.  
  
Sara: "Oh my God!" She exclaimed, covering her face with her hands.  
  
Casey: "What's wrong?" He asked worried, placing his arms around Sara's waist.  
  
Sara: "I think I just made Meg feel worse!"  
  
Casey: "How so?" Sara turned around and faced Casey saying  
  
Sara: "I challenged her into revealing her true feelings. Casey.She doesn't even think that she'll ever be able to trust another man as long as she'll live."  
  
Casey: "Look.We both know that Ben wont let it come to that. He loves Meg, and he'll get through to her. All we can do right now is to stand by her side when she needs us. Which I think she will tonight. I have a feeling that she'll be having nightmares about that maniac who did that to her."  
  
Sara: "I guess you're right. I don't know what I would do without you baby!" She exclaimed, placing her arms around Casey's waist and kissing him.  
  
Casey: "Your sister and Ben will be just fine. It might take some time, but they'll find their way back to each other. They always have. You see.True love is like that and so is destiny and faith. Those elements will take care of it all.  
  
Upstairs in the bathroom Meg had just undressed herself and was ready to head into the shower, when she couldn't get her eyes away from her reflection in the mirror. It was the first time she'd actually really looked at herself after the rape. Her face was covered with bruises, especially underneath her eyes and around the area of her cheeks. The whole rape was really a blur for her. She could still remember the guy, who'd done it to her but other than that it was all a maze of events.  
  
Meg: "How can someone else do such a thing to another living, breathing person?" She said out loud as she turned on the water in the shower, wanting to wash away all the signs of that terrible Italian guy.  
  
When she got out of the shower she dried herself off, brushed her teeth, brushed her hair and put on Tim's old football jersey she'd had for ages. She turned down the covers and dived in, wanting to just escape into the land of dreams and never come back. It didn't take long before she was asleep, but she wasn't dreaming pleasant dreams - she was re-living the rape in vivid details.  
  
*** NIGHTMARE ***  
  
Voice: "Move and I'll make you very sorry. I want to see how it is to FUCK a rich man's mistress.If you as much as breathe a word or try to call for help I'll snap your neck!" And with that being said he turned her around and she could see the attacker's face. He was a handsome Italian man with black, curly hair.  
  
He suddenly grabbed Meg around the waist and carried her to a spot underneath the stairs, where he dropped her onto the wet sand, placed himself on top of her and forced his mouth onto hers and began biting and kissing her neck, while Meg was in a state of shock letting him do whatever he wanted to do to her.  
  
Italian Man: "You know.I think that you're wasting your time with that British guy! You can always take up a profession on Sunset Boulevard!" He uttered spitefully, while he ripped off the cardigan Meg was wearing along with the top underneath the cardigan. He began biting and caressing her breasts, making Meg grab the sand underneath her fingertips for courage not to scream and live through the abuse of this man. After he'd finished off with the abuse he looked at her while dressing himself saying  
  
Italian Man: "No wonder Ben Evans keeps you around, you're a good fuck, even though he hasn't been doing that with you anyway!!" He smiled at her, before leaving Meg sobbing on the cold sandy beach underneath 'The South Shore Pier'.  
  
As Meg laid there she couldn't help but think about how in the world that man had known about her and Ben. The fact that she was with him was ordinary knowledge but the part of them not having made love for ages wasn't.  
  
Meg: "I have to get out of here!" She told herself as she tried to lift herself up from the cold sand but to no avail. Without knowing it the man had obviously also cut her stomach, because her fingers were covered in blood all of the sudden. That was more than she could take and she passed out.  
  
*** NIGHTMARE ***  
  
Meg: "Someone help me please.Anyone, somebody!!!!" She woke up suddenly bathed in sweat and yelling. Both Casey & Sara had heard her screams and had hurried into her room.  
  
Sara: "Meg? What is it? Did you have a dream?" She asked, as she sat down on the bed next to Meg.  
  
Meg: "Sara? It was more like a nightmare if you ask me." She replied, hugging her sister.  
  
Casey: "Meg.You're safe now. That guy can't hurt you anymore."  
  
Meg: "Off course he can still hurt me or any other woman here in Sunset Beach Casey, he hasn't even been caught yet."  
  
Sara: "But he will be.Why don't we all go down into the livingroom and have something to drink?" She asked Meg, sensing how she wouldn't be able to sleep.  
  
Casey: "Why don't I go with Meg down to the livingroom, you need your sleep Sara if you're going to be at 'The Shockwave' first thing in the morning?" He suggested, as Sara nodded her head in agreement.  
  
Chapter 5 - Having Nightmares  
  
Meg had just wrapped herself in her cotton robe, which was covered in yellow stars and suns. She placed her hair in a ponytail and made it downstairs to where Casey had turned on the lights before going into the kitchen to make some fresh tea. Meg walked to the window and looked out into the dark night.  
  
Casey: "A penny for your thought?" He joked, as he placed the teacups on the coffee table and sitting down on the couch.  
  
Meg: "I don't think they're worth that much!" She uttered, joining him on the couch.  
  
Casey: "Look Meg.I realize that I might not be the one you would most want to talk about the rape with, but I'm willing to listen!" He explained, wanting her to open up to him if no one else.  
  
Meg: "Casey.It's just.I feel like it was a personal attack on Ben!"  
  
Casey: "On Ben? How can that even be possible?" He asked not understanding what Meg was getting at.  
  
Meg: "The nightmare I was having was a rerun of what happened last night. The guy who did that to me said that he wanted to know how it was screwing a rich man's mistress and he mentioned Ben's name once or twice."  
  
Casey: "This is pretty big Meg! You have to talk to the police about this."  
  
Meg: "I'm going in there tomorrow. When I gave them a description of the guy, they made some inquires and apparently they've found someone who matches him."  
  
Casey: "That was fast! But I'm happy that things are moving fast too, you need to put all of this behind you Meg. Both for your own sake and for Ben's." Meg looked away at the mention of Ben's name.  
  
Meg: "Casey? I don't know if I can be with Ben after all this."  
  
Casey: "You're surely not thinking of." His voice trailed into nothing and Meg picked up saying Meg: "I don't know what I'm saying. All I know is that we could all need some time to just relax and I need to be comfortable with men again and that's not just going to happen over night."  
  
Casey: "If I know Ben as well as I do then he's going to be waiting for you."  
  
Meg: "I know." She sighed.  
  
Casey: "Why is it that I feel I can hear some doubt in your voice."  
  
Meg: "I just don't know if there can be a Ben and me after all of this. I mean.Ben has a son who hates me and Ben and I don't have the trust we used to have."  
  
Casey: "You're thinking of Benjy's kidnapping? Ben didn't say that he didn't trust you anymore, did he?"  
  
Meg: "No, not directly. But I could sense it in his voice and in the way he looked at me afterwards - something was missing - something essential. I mean.Before I could always sense what he was thinking and he what I was thinking - but that feeling is gone now."  
  
Casey: "Maybe you two just need some time apart to figure things out - including your relationship with Benjy." He replied, placing his hand on Meg's shoulder.  
  
Meg: "What relationship?" She laughed lightly.  
  
Casey: "No matter how bad things were between you and Benjy before the rape, then I think that he can come to learn how to love and respect you."  
  
Meg: "All I want to concentrate on right now is to get better and get past what that guy did to me."  
  
Casey: "I couldn't agree with you more. Do you need someone to go with you to 'SBPD' in the morning?" He asked,  
  
Meg: "No thanks! This is something I have to do by myself." She smiled at Casey.  
  
Ben was sitting in the livingroom at his house alone thinking about how much he and Meg had lost because of the actions of a mad man.  
  
Ben: "Oh God! I can't be without her. I just can't!" He uttered out loud as the pitter-patter of small feet could be heard on the cold floor.  
  
Benjy: "Who can't you be without daddy?" He asked, standing beside his father.  
  
Ben: "Benjy? What on earth are you doing up?" He asked, surprised he hadn't heard him come down.  
  
Benjy: "I had a bad dream and I couldn't sleep afterwards." He explained.  
  
Ben: "What was the bad dream about?"  
  
Benjy: "I dreamed that I was back in that house with the kidnapper but then you turned up and rescued me from his pasta's!" He suddenly said, which didn't ring true to Ben somehow.  
  
Ben: "To rescue you from his pasta's? Why did you say that?"  
  
Benjy: "Because he was like the man in that new cartoon, who eats pasta to become evil, but this guy was evil even without the pasta's and he looked like the one's in that book in your bedroom daddy!"  
  
Ben: "You mean.The book about Venice?" Benjy nodded his head in agreement.  
  
Benjy: "Daddy? Why isn't Meg here?" He asked.  
  
Ben: "Because she's going through some very hard things right now. She needs some time alone."  
  
Benjy: "Why?"  
  
Ben: "Because she just has to. Meg is the only one who can help Meg. Do you understand that?"  
  
Benjy: "Sort of!"  
  
Ben: "There's something else I need to talk to you about. It's about Meg and how you've been towards her."  
  
Benjy: "What do you mean daddy?" He asked. Ben: "Benjy.Through all of this Meg has been nice to you and tried to go along with everything you said just to please you but you remained the same - mean! That has got to stop Benjy! And I want it to stop right now."  
  
Benjy: "I didn't mean to be mean to Meg, it was just what Tess told me!"  
  
Ben: "What Tess told you?" Benjy immediately realized that if he spilled Tess would be in big trouble, so he lied one more time by saying  
  
Benjy: "When we came she said that maybe not everyone would be glad that I came and Meg wasn't!"  
  
Ben: "Whatever gave you that idea? Meg has been trying her hardest to be friends with you but you just keep on pushing her away."  
  
Benjy: "But.Can she do any neat tricks?" He asked, as an average 5 - year old.  
  
Ben: "She knows even more about computers than I do. She is a football fanatic on the field and off and she's an animal lover just like you are son!"  
  
Benjy: "I kind of liked it when she went with us to get Franklin, but I still wished that."  
  
Ben: "You still wished that your mommy would have been with you? Benjy.Just because you let someone else other than your mommy and Tess in doesn't mean that you have to forget about the other two, OK?" He asked.  
  
Benjy: "OK daddy! I love you and I'll try to be better." He smiled at his father, before walking upstairs to bed.  
  
Chapter 6 - The Line Up  
  
The next day Meg had arrived at 'SBPD' to try and identify her rapist. When she'd entered the police station DA Steele had waved her over to a desk and two chairs and asked her to sit down.  
  
Steele: "How are you doing Ms. Cummings?" She asked kindly.  
  
Meg: "I'm OK considering. What's all this about? I thought this was a simple line up!" Steele: "The thing is Ms. Cummings that we believe that Mr. Evans' son; Benjy's kidnapping is somehow linked to your rape."  
  
Meg: "How can that even be possible?"  
  
Steele: "Why don't you tell me what you came here for other than the line up off course?"  
  
Meg: "The things that that guy said while he abused me. He kept mentioning Ben's name and how he wanted to see how it was to screw a mistress of Ben Evans'!"  
  
Steele: "Are you sure that was his exact words?" Meg nodded in agreement and said  
  
Meg: "I dreamed about what happened in vivid details last night and the exact words he said to me were; "Move and I'll make you very sorry. I want to see how it is to FUCK a rich man's mistress.If you as much as breathe a word or try to call for help I'll snap your neck!" and then he continued saying; "You know.I think that you're wasting your time with that British guy!" Who else could he have been referring to than Ben?"  
  
Steele: "Which only proves that your rape was connected to Benjy's kidnapping. Look.Ben Evans is the key. He had the ransom for Benjy and when this kidnapper couldn't get the money then he went after something Mr. Evans treasures more than any amount of money - his loved one!"  
  
Meg: "When you put it that way it does make some sense. But.Raping me however would not give him any kind of reward in money kind."  
  
Steele: "Maybe.He just wanted to hurt Ben Evans where he knew it would hurt him the most. I mean.Money can be replaced but the live person's you love can't be!"  
  
Meg: "So.What happens now?"  
  
Steele: "We'll walk into a room where you'll see 8 men lined up and see if you can identify them by their looks if not - then we'll have them say what he said to you under 'The South Shore Pier' that night and see if that makes some bells go off. OK?"  
  
Meg: "OK!" She shook a little.  
  
Steele: "Ms. Cummings.Don't worry. He can't hurt you anymore and luckily if we nail him you can sleep more calmly at night knowing that he isn't out on the streets anymore!"  
  
Meg: "If that's him in there!" She looked at her scared.  
  
Steele: "YES!" She replied, as they made their way to the room where Meg would try and identify her assailant.  
  
When they entered the room a row of dark haired men stood next to each other. Meg made her way down the line with DA Steele and Ruiz in tow looking closely at the men.  
  
Meg: "Can you make them step forward and say something?"  
  
Steele: "Sure!" She replied, signaling to Spencer to tell the men to speak.  
  
Spencer: "No. 1 say the line, which was given to you." He replied, as no. 1 said  
  
No. 1: "Move and I'll make you very sorry. I want to see how it is to FUCK a rich man's mistress.If you as much as breathe a word or try to call for help I'll snap your neck!" Meg suddenly felt an extremely cold shiver run down her back and she looked at no. 1 intensively asking Spencer  
  
Meg: "What's no. 1's name?"  
  
Spencer: "Garcia.Jake Garcia, why?"  
  
Steele: "Is it him? Meg? Is that the man who attacked you?" She asked, when Meg just stared at Jake through the one-way mirror.  
  
Meg: "That's him! He's the one!" She replied, in a voice quiet as a whisper.  
  
Outside the room in the reception area Ben had arrived to sign the rapport on Benjy's kidnapping.  
  
Officer: "Mr. Evans! This way please." He asked him as they made their way to a desk.  
  
Ben: "I have a busy schedule so if this can be rushed on I'd be forever grateful!" He replied, sitting down. Officer: "Off course Sir I understand that you want to be with your fiancée in this trying time. If you'll just sign on the dotted line." He asked, pointing at a certain spot on the piece of paper.  
  
Ben: "What do you mean you understand this trying time?" He asked, as he'd just signed the paper.  
  
Officer: "I mean with your fiancée.I mean.Being in there, looking at the person who abused you can't be an easy thing to go through. But then again I hear that she's really something. My wife has read every single newspaper article about how Ms. Cummings moved from Kansas and to Sunset Beach and how you two beat every single obstacle you came across. Well.Almost every obstacle." He replied sadly.  
  
Ben: "HOLD UP FOR ONE FREAKIN' MOMENT!!" He yelled.  
  
Officer: "What is it Mr. Evans?" He asked, surprised by Ben's outburst.  
  
Ben: "Are you telling me that Meg is in that room, looking at the bastard who raped her and nobody informed me?" He asked, pointing at the line up room.  
  
Officer: "Forgive me Mr. Evans, but it was Ms. Cummings' responsibility to inform you - not ours! Maybe she didn't want you to know who the perpetrator was." He tried to assure Ben calmly just as Ruiz and Spencer accompanied Jake Garcia out of the room with Meg and DA Steele in tow.  
  
Steele: "You did good Meg - real good. I'll make sure that he pays for hurting you." She told Meg as they stood in front of the information desk.  
  
Meg: "Good! I just want to forget about all of this and move on with my life or what's left of it." She smiled sadly as she signed a piece of paper, which stated that Jake Garcia had been identified as Meg's rapist.  
  
Ben: "Where is it I've seen him before?" He asked himself, as Jake, Spencer and Ruiz made their way past Ben and the other officer slowly. Suddenly it hit Ben; Benjy's kidnapper!  
  
Ben: "You son of a bitch!!" He yelled, as he dived for Jake and brought them onto the floor where they fought for a couple of minutes before Ruiz and Spencer were able to separate them.  
  
Jake: "What the F*U*C*K* is your problem English!!" He yelled, which made Ben curious as to how he knew about Maria's nickname for him.  
  
Ben: "Who told you that?"  
  
Jake: "None of your business mate!" He spitefully said. And that was too much for Ben and he placed his hands around his neck and yelled  
  
Ben: "WHO - GIVE ME A GOD DAMN NAME!" Jake was close to suffocating and no one did anything to help him.  
  
Jake: "Marin!! Tess Marin. She staged the kidnapping and wanted Meg to pay for interrupting her plans for Maria and you! That's all I know I swear!!" He spilled.  
  
Ben: "Meg!!" He remembered her being there, but as he let go of Jake's neck, he looked around 'SBPD' but Meg was nowhere to be found.  
  
Chapter 7 - The Final Truth  
  
When Ben had returned home from 'SBPD' Benjy, Maria and Tess had been in the livingroom of his house.  
  
Benjy: "DADDY!!" He'd shouted, as Ben had entered the house and jumped into Ben's embrace.  
  
Ben: "Hello son! How are you?" He asked, fixing his gaze on Tess.  
  
Benjy: "Great!" He exclaimed.  
  
Ben: "Benjy and Maria? Would you mind leaving me alone with Tess for a minute?" He asked, putting Benjy down onto the ground again.  
  
Maria: "Off course not! Come on Benjy, let's see if there's some food in the kitchen, huh?" She asked, taking his hand in hers.  
  
Tess: "What is it Ben?" She asked, as Benjy and Maria were out of hearing ability.  
  
Ben: "Does the name Jake Garcia ring a bell Tess?" He asked with ice-cold eyes.  
  
Tess: "No, the name doesn't seem familiar!" She lied, knowing that Ben probably knew what she'd done along with Jake.  
  
Ben: "That's strange because he had a whole long and ugly tale about some of the things you've been doing since you arrived here in Sunset Beach."  
  
Tess: "What things?" She asked scared.  
  
Ben: "Oh.I don't know.Something like how you arranged Benjy's kidnapping along with Jake and how you wanted him to help you in making Meg pay for interrupting your plans for Maria and me. What I want to know now Tess is.What plans did Meg supposedly interrupt? And why did you tell Jake to rape her!!??" He shouted at her, before grapping her arm refusing to let her go.  
  
Tess: "Ben.You're hurting me. Jake would say anything to save his own ass, including rat me out it seems. I swear to you that I didn't know about his attentions concerning raping Meg. I would never do that to another woman, no matter how much I dislike her." She finally admitted to Ben.  
  
Ben: "So you do know Jake Garcia?" He asked.  
  
Tess: "YES ALLRIGHT YES I DO KNOW HIM!! But I swear to you Ben, I had nothing to do with Meg's rape."  
  
Ben: "What about Benjy's kidnapping?" He asked, noticing Tess becoming as white as a ghost.  
  
Tess: "What about it? Meg wasn't watching Benjy and that's why he got kidnapped!"  
  
Ben: "I don't think so.Try again Tess.Look.You can tell me now or you can tell the officers in blue in a few minutes."  
  
Tess: "OK!! First of all everything I've told you has been the truth. I did live with Benjy and Maria in Seattle like I said I did. The only thing I didn't reveal to you was the fact that while we lived there, Maria made me a promise and I have it in writing too. She wanted me to help her in getting her husband back - you Ben! And in exchange for this we'd receive US$ 1.000.000."  
  
Ben: "Who we?" He asked, amazed by what he'd just heard.  
  
Tess: "Huh?" She asked not understanding where he was getting at.  
  
Ben: "You just said.'we'd receive US$ 1.000.000.' Who are we?"  
  
Tess: "We are.Tim Truman and I."  
  
Ben: "HOLD UP FOR ONE FREAKIN' SECOND! Are you telling me that Tim Truman helped you arrange Benjy's kidnapping?"  
  
Tess: "No! He just found out about it after Benjy had been rescued and we decided on sharing the money with each other. I guess you're going to take me away from Benjy now and call the police huh?" She asked amazed of how honest she'd just been.  
  
Ben: "Well.If you think that for just one second I'm going to let you near my son ever again then you've got another thing coming! I WANT YOU AND THAT LEECH TO TIM TRUMAN TO LEAVE SUNSET BEACH TODAY AND I NEVER WANT TO HEAR OR SEE YOU EVER AGAIN! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME TESS?" He yelled at her, just as Benjy and Maria made it into the livingroom with some sandwiches.  
  
Benjy: "NO! I don't want you to leave Tess. I'm not ready!" He whined, clinging onto Tess' waist.  
  
Maria: "What in the world is going on in here?" She asked, as she stood next to Ben.  
  
Ben: "I'll tell you later. Right now I think that it would be for the best if Tess packed up her things and paid Ruiz and Spencer a little visit at 'SBPD' with the help of a phone call." He answered as Tess made her way upstairs, leaving Ben, Benjy and Maria alone.  
  
Benjy: "Why does Tess have to leave? I'm trying to be better to Meg, why can't Tess do that too?"  
  
Maria: "What are you talking about honey?" She asked, going down to seeing level with Benjy.  
  
Benjy: "Daddy told me that I had to be better to Meg so why can't Tess also promise that?" Ben bended down on his knees and said  
  
Ben: "Because son.What Tess did was a lot worse than what you did by being mean to Meg." Benjy: "I did it because of her." He explained, pointing up the stairs.  
  
Maria: "What did you do because of Tess sweetie?"  
  
Benjy: "Tess told me that if I kept quiet about the kidnapping then you and daddy would end up together and we'd be a real family."  
  
Ben: "And that's probably also why you were mean to Meg in the first place, huh?" He asked.  
  
Benjy: "Tess said that if Meg didn't leave, then she'd send mommy and me away, so that it would just be you and her."  
  
Ben: "Son.Like I told you the other evening then all Meg has been trying to do ever since you and Tess arrived here in Sunset Beach has been to make friends with you. Nothing else - can you at least try to make friends with her too?"  
  
Benjy: "I do want to make friends with Meg, but why does Tess have to leave?"  
  
Maria: "Because honey.Tess did some bad things and therefore she has to go to jail for some time. Just as well as I have to go and live with my mother instead of here."  
  
Ben: "What are you saying Maria?"  
  
Maria: "Ben.With the ways things are with Meg and Benjy right now, then nothing good can come from these living arrangements. We can figure out someway to arrange Benjy's comings and goings as well as getting the divorce finalized. You need to be there for Meg, just like I have to find the man of my dreams." She explained.  
  
Benjy: "Are you leaving me too mommy?" He asked with teary eyes.  
  
Maria: "I'll never ever leave you pumpkin! But it's time that your dad and I started to do grown up things. Your daddy loves Meg and I have to find someone who I can love. Can you understand that?"  
  
Benjy: "Yes, all I want for you and daddy is that you're happy!"  
  
Ben: "Good.Because that's what we're all going to be eventually - happy!" He beamed with happiness over this eternally roller coaster soon being over.  
  
Maria: "How about we celebrate this with some American football on the beach after Ruiz and Spencer have picked up Tess?" Benjy's face lit up and Ben and Maria knew that they'd all overcome what Tim & Tess had caused them all; pain.  
  
Chapter 8 - The White Roses  
  
Meg was sitting at home at 'Surf Central' thumbing through the new issue of 'Cosmopolitan' trying to think of anything but Jake Garcia and Ben Evans. Suddenly she was pulled out of her thoughts by the doorbell ringing.  
  
Meg: "I'll get it!" She shouted upstairs to where Casey & Sara were.  
  
When Meg opened the door a delivery boy asked her  
  
The Delivery Boy: "Are you Ms. Cummings?"  
  
Meg: "Yes, I am. Why?" She asked, wondering what he would want with her. The delivery boy suddenly turned around and shouted to his partner  
  
The Delivery Boy: "This is the place Brett!!" Then out of nowhere 3 men aside the delivery boy and Brett appeared with million of dozens of white roses and large teddy bears with the inscription; 'I LOVE U' on their bellies.  
  
Meg: "What is going on here?" She asked, when all of the men began entering 'Surf Central' placing flowers and teddy bears inside and going outside again.  
  
The Delivery Boy: "If you'll just sign here Ms.?" He asked, showing her where her signature should be on the piece of paper. Meg signed it and asked again when all of the men where out of 'Surf Central' and seated in the van.  
  
Meg: "Who did all this?"  
  
The Delivery Boy: "This should answer your question. Have a nice day!" He told her, before he handed her an envelope and going into the van and driving off with the other guys.  
  
Meg: "What in the world!" She exclaimed, closing the door behind her and going to the couch sitting down next to a teddy bear, which resembled the one Ben had given Meg at 'The Liberty Corporation' but that Benjy had been given afterwards. Casey: "What in the world is all this?" He asked, as he and Sara descended the stairs.  
  
Meg: "I don't know.But the delivery boy gave me this and said that it would explain everything!"  
  
Sara: "Then open it all ready!" She urged her sister as Meg hesitantly opened the envelope and gathered the letter between her hands just as an old clipped off white rose fell to the ground.  
  
Meg: "That can't be." She wondered as she read the letter out loud.  
  
My dearest Meg,  
  
I don't know how it is that we always manage to get ourselves into a no return situation. All I know is what I feel and what I feel is eternal love and bliss for you. I know that it will take you some time to feel the same for me, but I do hope that time will help us. I want to thank you for being as patient as you were with me in the past, and that's why I'm going to be likewise for you. I don't care how long it takes for you to feel comfortable with a man again, but that's as long as I will wait for you.  
  
Yours always  
  
Ben  
  
P.S. The white roses are something to remember me by, and if your memory is as clear as it's always been then yes; that is the rose I clipped off Mr. Henderson's price winning bush of white roses last year. I love you. And all of the roses and teddy bears are only there to tell you that I love you now more than I ever did.  
  
Casey: "Well.Ben sure hasn't lost his sense of romance over the years."  
  
Sara: "This has got to be the most romantic thing I've ever been a witness to. My God Meg, he really does love you. Even more than he did Maria."  
  
Meg: "I know - you're right! I have to get going bye!" She exclaimed as she left Casey & Sara at 'Surf Central' to find Ben and somehow she knew just where to go.  
  
15 minutes later Meg arrived on top of 'The South Shore Pier' and spotted Ben, Maria and Benjy playing American Football on the beach. The sight only reminded Meg of how much work there would be in getting Benjy to like her and convincing him that she wasn't planning to take Maria's place as his mother.  
  
Meg: "I can't do this! What was I thinking?" She asked herself, as she made her way away from the pier. Ben had immediately spotted her and had excused himself from Benjy and Maria and had run to the pier catching Meg just before she made it totally off 'The South Shore Pier'.  
  
Ben: "Meg? What's the rush?" He asked, as he'd managed to turn her around to face him.  
  
Meg: "There's no rush, I just have to get going!" She tried to lie herself out of this confrontation.  
  
Ben: "Meg.You did a 180 when you spotted me with Benjy and Maria. You're not thinking of backing out of our relationship just because of them are you?" He asked, placing his arms on her shoulders.  
  
Meg: "What relationship? I'm soiled goods, remember? The one conversation topic this damn town is talking about right now. I shouldn't even be here!" She exclaimed, trying to get out of Ben's hold but at no avail.  
  
Ben: "They'll find something new to talk about in a week or two. That's the thing about small towns there's always some sort of talking going on. But what they're talking about doesn't bother me and it shouldn't bother you either. You did get those white roses, the teddy bears and the letter today?" He asked, nervous that the delivery service had botched up his order.  
  
Meg: "Yes, I did get them. But.Ben.I don't know if I'm ready yet and to be frank with you then I don't know if I ever will!"  
  
Ben: "And like I wrote in that letter then I'm willing to wait for you for as long as it takes. Or is that the problem?" He asked worried.  
  
Meg: "What?" She asked, not understanding what he was getting at.  
  
Ben: "Don't you want me to wait around for you or are you still insecure concerning Maria and our past?" Meg: "You make it sound like it's my fault! But I wasn't the one who kept your son away from you Ben and I sure as hell am not the one keeping everything on hold for us so that you can spend time with the son, who hates me but worships Maria!!" She raged on him.  
  
Ben: "I know that you've been through hell Meg. Especially concerning Jake and your rape and I know that my hitting him at 'SBPD' didn't help matters at all but darling.I wanted to protect you from the likes of him."  
  
Meg: "And hitting a person for me is protecting me?" She asked, turning around not facing him.  
  
Ben: "Off course not! But to tell you the truth then I was more mad at myself than with him."  
  
Meg: "Why?" She asked turning around to face him.  
  
Ben: "Because I wasn't there to protect you from him. When you really needed me I wasn't there for you." He explained, letting a few tears escape his eyes.  
  
Meg: "I don't blame you for what Jake did to me. I never will!" She explained looking him in the eyes and suddenly she couldn't control her desire for Ben anymore, so she gathered his face in her hands and kissed him slowly but passionately as Ben wrapped his arms around Meg's tiny waist.  
  
Ben: "Oh Meg.I love you so much!!" He exclaimed, kissing her cheek and finally kissing her forehead too. Their eyes spoke to each other and they knew in that instant that everything would end up just fine.  
  
Chapter 9 - The Surprise Of A Lifetime  
  
Meg was sitting in the livingroom of 'Surf Central' thinking of the kiss she'd shared with Ben a couple of hours ago. When they'd parted on 'The South Shore Pier' she'd felt like she was leaving the very essence of her being behind; namely Ben.  
  
Suddenly Casey & Sara entered 'Surf Central' laughing and smiling.  
  
Meg: "What's with you two?" She asked, as she got up from the couch.  
  
Sara: "Well.This for starters!" She exclaimed, showing Meg the rock, which was placed on her ring finger.  
  
Meg: "Oh my God! You're engaged?" She asked, hugging both Sara and Casey.  
  
Casey: "We sure are! How about I see what we have in the kitchen to celebrate huh?" He asked, leaving Meg and Sara alone.  
  
Meg: "I'm so happy for you Sara. This is what you've been dreaming of for so long!"  
  
Sara: "It sure is!" She smiled as the two sisters sat down on the couch.  
  
Meg: "How did Casey propose?"  
  
Sara: "Well.He'd arranged for flowers at 'The Gazeebo' and proposed there. But I'd rather know why you have this stupid, lonesome look on your face."  
  
Meg: "What do you mean?"  
  
Sara: "Did you see Ben?"  
  
Meg: "I did more than see him. We kissed!"  
  
Sara: "WHAT? That's great!!" She beamed, as she hugged Meg tightly.  
  
Meg: "I know.But.Things are just moving so fast."  
  
Sara: "Then ask him to slow down a bit. You and Ben have the rest of your lives to be together." She replied, as the doorbell rang and Meg got up and answered it.  
  
Meg: "Yes." She answered, as she saw two European looking guys on the front door step of 'Surf Central'.  
  
Man: "Mademoiselle Cummings? My name is Jacques Dupree and this is my assistant Pierre. I don't know if you remember us from when you tried on one of my known wedding dresses for when you and monsieur Evans were to elope to Venice?"  
  
Meg: "Oh yes.Ben has your dress at his house if that's what."  
  
Jacques: "Oh no! I'm here to make sure you make it to your date this evening!" He explained.  
  
Meg: "My date? I don't have any date!"  
  
Sara: "Yes, you do!" She replied, as she joined Meg and Jacques and Pierre on the doorstep.  
  
Meg: "What are you talking about Sara?" She asked bewildered.  
  
Sara: "Just let Mr. Dupree take care of you Meg and then I'll explain everything!" She smiled secretly and Meg knew at once that Ben and Sara had thought of something to make her reunion with Ben happen sooner.  
  
30 minutes later after having her make up done, her hair done and gotten dressed in a drop dead gorgeous dress Meg was ready to hear about Ben & Sara's plans for tonight.  
  
Meg descended the stairs in a red, strapless, satin gown, which reached Meg to the ankles along with a red, satin wrap, wrapped around her back and arms. She wore a pair of black pumps and a pair of diamond clips were fastened to her fringe and she wore a diamond necklace along with a diamond bracelet and her watch. Casey, Sara, Jacques and Pierre were all speechless when she stopped in front of them, but all of them knew that it was Meg's inner beauty, which was shining through her.  
  
Meanwhile across town Ben was making arrangements for his future with Benjy and Meg.  
  
Woman: "I think that you're making the perfect choice Mr. Evans! This house trading deal is just what Mr. & Mrs. Olsen want!"  
  
Ben: "Well.Candace.This house is perfect and I'm not going to let go of it now. I just hope that Meg is as in love with it as she was 1 year ago!"  
  
Candace: "After what I've heard about her then this house is getting one amazing owner. When are you planning to show it to her? If you don't mind my asking off course?"  
  
Ben: "It's OK! Just after I ask her to spend the rest of her life with me!"  
  
Candace: "I thought you were married?" She asked being nosy like always.  
  
Ben: "We are! But a lot of things have happened since I put that ring on her finger, and I just want her to feel important and that's why I've bought this." He explained, showing Candace an absolutely gorgeous diamond ring. The ring itself was as plain as silver, but on top of it was a huge diamond, which was shaped almost as a triangle.  
  
Candace: "That must have sent you back a bundle!" She exclaimed, looking at the ring.  
  
Ben: "Nothing is too expensive when it's for the woman you love. Especially not this woman. She's everything to me."  
  
Candace: "Then this house is perfect for you. It's perfect to raise a family in, and as I understand then you already have a son together?"  
  
Ben: "No, Meg and I don't! Benjy is a son I have with Maria Torres, whom I'm in the process of divorcing."  
  
Candace: "Oh.I'm sorry for being this nosey. It's just.This fairy tale of yours should be published in a book.  
  
Ben: "Yeah.I can just imagine the title; 'The Adventures Of Ben & Meg Evans'!" He laughed.  
  
Candace: "Well.I should probably get going. Good luck tonight Mr. Evans!" She replied, as she made it out of the house.  
  
Ben: "Bye and thanks Candace!" He smiled, as the door closed and he was left alone in the house he'd spend together with Benjy and Meg in a matter of days - hopefully.  
  
Suddenly the phone rang and Ben reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone and answered it saying  
  
Ben: "Ben Evans!"  
  
Caller: "Ben? This is Sara! Jacques and Pierre just let Meg into the limo and it's driving towards 'The Deep'. Is all set?"  
  
Ben: "Yeah.It sure is. How is she?"  
  
Sara: "She's a bit skittish! But that's to expect considering the big surprise you have in store for her."  
  
Ben: "You didn't tell her anything did you?"  
  
Sara: "All I said was to get her tiny butt into the limo and stop wining about us keeping this surprise from her. You know how she get's when she doesn't know what's going on!" She explained.  
  
Ben: "I sure do!" He replied grinning, remembering some of the times he'd tried to surprise Meg and she'd begged him to reveal the secret but at no avail off course.  
  
Sara: "I'd better get going. Casey's waiting! Good luck tonight Ben!" She added, before hanging up.  
  
Ben: "Thanks!" He smiled, as he too put the phone away together with putting the ring back in its ring box. He was ready to treat his favorite lady to a perfect evening.  
  
Chapter 10 - The Perfect Evening  
  
When the limousine arrived in front of 'The Deep' the chauffeur got out and opened and held the door for Meg. All the lights were out at 'The Deep' and Meg knew that Ben had had something to do with that.  
  
The Chauffeur: "You have a good evening ms. Cummings!" He exclaimed, as Meg stepped onto the pavement and he closed the door shut.  
  
Meg: "Thanks!" She smiled at him, before heading towards the entrance of 'The Deep' as the chauffeur drove the limo away.  
  
Meg walked quietly into 'The Deep' noticing all the candles and white rose petals respectively placed and thrown onto the floor. When she'd finally made it to the stairs she noticed that there was only one single table on the dance floor, where a single, white candle was placed on and next to the table was a bucket of ice cubes along with a bottle of 'The Deep's' finest champagne and a pair of glasses were placed on the table too.  
  
Suddenly Ben appeared from his office and Ben & Meg's eyes locked on each other like they always did when they saw each other. They walked towards each other and when Ben locked his fingers with Meg's he uttered  
  
Ben: "God! You look amazing!"  
  
Meg: "Thanks! You look pretty handsome yourself Mr. Evans!" She smiled at him blushing.  
  
Ben: "How about we take a seat?" He asked, indicating the two chairs next to the table.  
  
Meg: "Yeah.Let's!" She agreed linking her arm in his as he led her to the table, held out her chair for her and pushed it in when she'd taken her seat on it and sat down opposite her.  
  
Ben: "I hope everything went OK with Jacques?" He asked, mesmerized of how stunning Meg looked.  
  
Meg: "It went wonderful! He's a wonderful designer; I can't even remember when I last felt this beautiful.  
  
Ben: "Well.To me you've always been beautiful." He grinned devilish.  
  
Meg: "Thank you, but why did you do this? I mean.Have I done something that I don't know about?" She asked, blushing a bit.  
  
Ben: "I did this because I wanted to make you see how very special you are to me. I mean.After everything's that's happened I thought that we could need this time to ourselves." He explained, placing his hand over hers caressing it softly.  
  
Meg: "You really are a romantic, aren't you?"  
  
Ben: "Off course I am. Just like you!" He smiled at her, before nearing his lips to hers, which he nibbled a little before pulling back afraid that he was going too fast. Meg still had her eyes closed when he pulled back and he therefore said  
  
Ben: "How about we have some champagne?" He asked, as Meg opened her eyes and nodded her head 'yes'.  
  
When Ben had opened the cork and poured the liquid into the two glasses, both he and Meg raised them as Ben made this toast  
  
Ben: "To us! May we find the trust within and with each other to make it to happiness!" They clinked their glasses and placed them back onto the table.  
  
Meg: "I can't tell you how much this means to me. To know that you still love me even though."  
  
Ben: ".Benjy got kidnapped when you looked away? Like I said that night then I don't blame you. I was in shock over him being kidnapped by Jake and I took it out over you and I can't even tell you how very sorry I am about that!"  
  
Meg: "How did you know that."  
  
Ben: "That Jake kidnapped Benjy? He admitted it at 'SBPD' and Tess admitted it at home when I confronted her about it!"  
  
Meg: "WHAT?! Tess was involved too?" She asked amazed at what she was hearing.  
  
Ben: "She staged Benjy's kidnapping, because if she got Maria and me back together again with Benjy - as a family then Maria had promised her in the past an amount of US$ 1.000.000 in cash. So.She teamed up with Jake Garcia, who was Benjy's kidnapper and together they almost wrecked all of our lives. But.Now Tess is in jail for kidnapping and Jake is in jail too but for kidnapping and rape. I hope this isn't making you want to leave?" He asked, worried when Meg got a worried look on her face.  
  
Meg: "No, off course not! It's just unbelievable that Tess is like that. I mean.I knew that she didn't like me very much but to actually arrange a kidnapping and have me take the rap for it is pretty huge!"  
  
Ben: "Yes it is. But let's forget about all that. All I want you to think about right now is this evening together, which I want to be perfect."  
  
Meg: "That makes two of us!" She smiled at him, as she placed her hand over his stroking his knuckles gently.  
  
Ben: "You know what I want to do right now?" He suddenly asked out of the blue.  
  
Meg: "No, what?"  
  
Ben: "To dance with the most beautiful girl in Sunset Beach. Come on.Just one dance. Let's feel how we felt before all of this craziness started to influence our lives?"  
  
Meg: "OK! You're right, and I do feel perfect as long as I am in your arms, able to feel your heartbeat next to mine." She answered, taking his hand as he extended it to her and followed him to the dance floor. When they reached the dance floor Ben pulled Meg into his embrace and as the tunes of the stereo began to play Ben & Meg danced so in tune with each other as if they were professionals. They felt and looked like they were floating on a purple sky as Brandy began to sing 'Put That On Everything'.  
  
'Put That On Everything' performed by Brandy  
  
If you're looking to find A love that will stand till the end of time Baby relax your mind my love is here I'll do anything I swear I'd take the pain and the hurt You wont know it's there Your wants would be nothing I put that on everything  
  
I will pull a star out of the sky for you Yes I would To the edge of the earth I'll go to see you Yes it's true If you go anywhere And I'm not there Just think on thoughts of love And I'll appear  
  
Before I dream I lay and think of you every night Honest to God I'm telling you the truth I wish you could see How much your presence means to me You would love me so much More each day  
  
I'll walk for you Through the desert heat I'll climb the mountain's highest peak I'll swim forever in the deepest sea Just for you this song I sing For all the love and joy you bring For you I'll try To do the impossible things  
  
(Brandy - Never S - A - Y Never)  
  
As the tunes of the song began to fade away Meg lifted her head from Ben's shoulder and they kept on gazing into each other's eyes. Ben as if on a reflex lowered his head to Meg's lips and they began to kiss each other gently at first, but then Meg began to use her tongue, which made Ben use his too and soon they were both lost in their desire for the other person.  
  
Ben: "I need to show you something!" He replied, as he separated their locked lips.  
  
Meg: "Can't it wait?" She asked, wanting to be with Ben and only him more than anything.  
  
Ben: "It's essential that you see it tonight. Come on." He asked her, as Meg gave up, locked fingers with Ben and followed him outside 'The Deep'.  
  
Chapter 11 - For Your Love  
  
During the ride to the new house Ben had convinced Meg to put on a blind fold, she'd then off course figured out that the whole evening had been set up for a surprise for her. But what kind of surprise it was, Ben hadn't revealed.  
  
Ben: "Watch your step!" He warned her, as they entered the door.  
  
Meg: "How can I watch my step when I'm blindfolded?"  
  
Ben: "Good point!" He agreed, picking her up in his arms, scaring Meg half to death, but because he apologized immediately afterwards everything was forgiven and forgotten.  
  
Meg: "When can I take this thing off?" She asked regarding the blindfold.  
  
Ben: "When I tell you to!" He told her, leaving her standing in the middle of the livingroom while he arranged for a brisling fire in the mantel and soft music playing in the background.  
  
Ben then walked to Meg and wrapped his arms around her from behind and they swayed for a few minutes to the soft tunes of the music.  
  
Meg: "Well.?" She asked impatiently.  
  
Ben: "God.! I'd forgotten how stubborn you can be when you want to." He exclaimed, before removing the blindfold from Meg's eyes.  
  
Meg: "Oh my God!!" She exclaimed, looking around the newly renovated house. The house had 2 floors. On the 1st floor there were 4 guest rooms all with bathrooms, 1 room for Benjy, which was about the same size as Maria's old studio at Ben's old house, 1 master bedroom with an adjoining master bathroom. Underneath the 1st floor - the livingroom was divided into 1 huge kitchen, next to the stairs there was another guest room and outside the house there was an adjoining porch to the house.  
  
Ben: "Meg? Are you OK? Is it the house? It's not the one you wanted?" He asked, not liking the quiet treatment he was receiving from her.  
  
Meg: "Ben.How did you.? Did you do all of this for me?" She asked, not believing that he'd gone to all that trouble for her.  
  
Ben: "I love you Meg, and I'll do anything for you. All you have to do is ask me."  
  
Meg: "Thank you!" She exclaimed, jumping into Ben's embrace, hugging and kissing him thanking him for that amazing gift.  
  
Ben: "You don't have to thank me, I didn't do anything I didn't want to do." He smiled at her, hugging her tightly.  
  
Meg: "This place is amazing!"  
  
Ben: "Yeah.I know! There's room for us all. For you, me, Benjy and all of our future children!" He smiled, but noticed Meg's expression.  
  
Meg: "Benjy? Ben.He doesn't even like me."  
  
Ben: "Well.Then this will put your mind at ease. I've talked to Benjy about you and he's finally admitted why he treated you like he did. Tess had told him to go along with her. And she'd told him that you'd send away him and Maria."  
  
Meg: "WHAT? I didn't do that Ben, I swear I didn't!" She tried to convince him, afraid he believed it.  
  
Ben: "Off course you didn't do that. I know that you didn't. I was all Tess' fault. I still can't believe that all of this happened due to my being wealthy."  
  
Meg: "You can't blame yourself Ben! That is exactly what Jake & Tess wants you to do. To blame anyone but them. Don't let them do that! Let's just try and forget about them and try and enjoy the rest of this perfect evening in our new house!"  
  
Ben: "'Our new house?' Does that mean what I think it means?" He asked hopefully.  
  
Meg: "Yes, it does! I feel like I'm ready to give our relationship a second chance." She smiled at him, while Ben kissed her hard on the lips.  
  
After a couple of minutes Ben & Meg separated to breathe some air into their oxygen starved lungs and Ben could suddenly feel the ring box in the inner pocket of his tuxedo.  
  
Meg: "Is something wrong?" She asked, when he got a dazed expression.  
  
Ben: "No, not really. Come here." He asked her, as he led her to the couch, which had been put in the livingroom as the only piece of furniture for now and sat her down on it, while he got down on his knee and pulled out the ring box.  
  
Meg: "Ben? What's going on." She ended the last part of the sentence with a squeak when she noticed the ring box in Ben's hand.  
  
Ben: "I love you Meg.I love you more than anyone I've ever loved. I want to show the world how our kind of love is. I want to go on vacations with you and I want us to start building that family we always dreamed of. Please.Tell me that you'll become my wife - AGAIN!" He asked her and Meg simply had tears in her eyes and was ultimately shocked when she got a closer look of the ring.  
  
Ben: "Will you become my wife?" He asked her, taking her hand in his caressing her ring finger gently.  
  
Meg: "Yes.Yes, I'd love to become Mrs. Ben Evans - AGAIN!" She replied happily, as they shared a tender and moist kiss before Ben slid the engagement ring onto Meg's ring finger.  
  
Ben: "I can't resist you anymore. Are you sure you're ready?" He asked as the caring man he was.  
  
Meg: "I'm going to explode of desire if you don't make love to me right this minute!" She smiled at him as she stood up and she walked into his embrace, where they started to passionately kiss each other. Meg's tongue somehow found Ben's and they dueled like cats and dogs for some time before it got to be too much for Ben and he placed one arm behind Meg's back and the other underneath her legs and carried her upstairs to their 'new' bedroom.  
  
When Ben entered the bedroom with Meg in his arms, he went directly to a spot right next to the bed where he placed Meg. The bedroom was surrounded with dozens of beautiful crystal vases with white roses in and the bed was covered in both white and red rose petals. Ben & Meg looked into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours before Ben took both of Meg's hands in his, kissed each finger tip and then placed them on his shoulders, silently asking her to undress him.  
  
Meg slid the tuxedo jacket off of his broad shoulders and onto the floor. She massaged his chest through the shirt, but then eventually she popped open the buttons of his shirt and threw it onto the floor too. She carefully placed her hands on his warm and familiar chest and lowered her head to his chest, where she started at his nipples, giving them some warm and moist kisses before going on to the middle of his chest, which she gave a tender kiss before going even lower and giving his navel a moist kiss too, before moving up to his lips again, giving his lips a tender kiss before turning around as a sign of that it was his turn to be tentative.  
  
Ben pushed her hair away from her shoulders and began licking and kissing her shoulders and neck. Ben then placed his hands on her waist, which he left going to the back of her dress and unzipped it, leaving her in her strapless beige bra and beige panties when the dress ended up around her feet. He then moved his hands to the clasp of the bra and unclasped it and threw it onto the floor before moving his hands to the tips of her breasts and massaged them before moving his fingertips to her panties, which he also slid off of her body and onto the floor.  
  
Meg then turned around and locked eyes with Ben as she unbuckled the belt of his pants and unzipped the pants, which also ended up on the floor. Meg hooked her fingers in the waistband of his boxers and slid them down his body, leaving him naked because in the meantime Ben had gotten rid of his shoes and socks.  
  
Ben placed his hands behind Meg's back lowering her to the bed, being careful not to crush her when he laid down on top of her by supporting his weight with his forearms.  
  
Meg: "I love you!" She whispered in a voice as sweet as the innocence she possessed.  
  
Ben: "I love you too baby! Let me show you how much!" He pleaded, and with that being said they began to make love until the wee hours of the morning.  
  
Chapter 12 - Family Is Forever  
  
The next morning the sun was shining onto Ben & Meg's sleeping faces. Meg was lying on top of Ben with her one leg draped over Ben's waist and their fingers were locked together. Ben was the first one to wake up. He looked lovingly down at Meg and wished that they could stay like that forever, but he also knew that there were people they had to talk to today. He softly kissed Meg's forehead intending for her to wake up, which she did.  
  
Ben: "Good morning love!" He replied, as her eyelids fluttered open.  
  
Meg: "Good morning to you too! How did you sleep?" She asked yawning.  
  
Ben: "Oh.I slept fine, when I wasn't busy with other things." He grinned at her, before hoisting her on top of his chest, placing his hands at her temples and drawing her mouth in for a tender and moist kiss, which quickly turned passionate. Ben's hands traveled from Meg's temples and to her behind, which he squeezed just enough to get a moan out of Meg. Meg: "There better always be this kind of good morning's for every morning for the rest of our lives!" She giggled, while laying her head down on his chest, while Ben played with a few locks of her hair.  
  
Ben: "We have to talk about something or rather about someone!" He told her, sensing her tense.  
  
Meg: "Who?"  
  
Ben: "Your father. We have to make him see how happy you'll be with me in marriage. I mean.Your mother already supports us but your father is a different story."  
  
Meg: "Ben.I don't think that daddy doesn't support us. He was just worried about me - that's all!" She explained, as she got out of bed and put on a nearby robe.  
  
Ben: "Meg.? I realize that you love him and that he's your father, but for God's sake he whacked me when he found out about Benjy & Tess!" He explained, as he too got out of bed and put on his robe.  
  
Meg: "Because he was upset for me. If I recall then it wasn't my dad who brought Benjy into this world. So don't go blaming him for something that he didn't have anything to do with!!"  
  
Ben: "So.What you're saying is that everything that's happened lately has been because of me? And your father hitting me was also my fault?" He asked angrily.  
  
Meg: "No!! I already told you! What happened to me wasn't anybody's fault but mine, but concerning the attack you and my father are equally to blame. No matter who started it?!!" She yelled at him.  
  
Ben: "I'm sorry.I guess your father and Benjy are just a sore subject right now. Let's just go and see your mom and dad at 'The Shockwave' OK?" He asked, placing his arms on Meg's shoulders.  
  
Meg: "All right, but I sincerely doubt that he's got a problem with us getting married sometime in the nearest future. But I have missed them, so I wouldn't mind going to 'The Shockwave' anyhow!" She told him.  
  
Ben: "Good! And after we've been to see your parents, there's another person, whom we must talk to right away before it's too late!" He explained, and could see that Meg knew exactly whom he was talking about.  
  
Meg: "Ben.I'm not sure that telling Benjy you're divorcing Maria and marrying me would be the best thing for him to hear right now. I mean.He'll have to adjust to moving from your old house and to this new one. Let's not push him further than is affordable right now, OK?"  
  
Ben: "Meg.I love you for caring so much for Benjy, and I know that you mean well. But we can't put our lives on hold for a 5 - year old boy. Our needs have to come first. We're the grown ups here and Benjy is the child. Let's make him live after our demands for some time, huh?" He asked smiling, while placing his hands around Meg's neck, and lowering his lips to hers inch by inch. Ben immediately urged Meg to open up her mouth, and their tongues immediately found each other again.  
  
When Ben & Meg arrived at 'The Shockwave' Hank, Joan, Casey and Sara were there and busy making sure that every single customer got what they wanted. Joan was the first person, who saw Ben & Meg and immediately went to them hugging Meg tightly saying  
  
Joan: "I'm so glad you two made it down here. I know that you needed some time to yourselves. How are you Meggie?" She asked, stepping out of their embrace to get a better look at Meg.  
  
Meg: "I'm great mom, really I am! Better than ever."  
  
Joan: "Why better than ever?" She asked curiously.  
  
Ben: "Because.Last night when I showed Meg our new house I also asked her to become my wife - and she accepted!" He smiled, and was relieved when Joan hugged both him and Meg giving them her blessing.  
  
Meg: "That's actually why we're here. I wanted to tell daddy and Sara too."  
  
Joan: "Honey.Maybe that's not such a great idea right now!"  
  
Meg: "Not you too mom! Ben has already tried to make me see that daddy doesn't support our relationship, but he does. It was just everything with Benjy, Maria and Tess that got him off track. Before that happened daddy and Ben were like best friends."  
  
Sara: "Meg!! It's so good to see you, and you too Ben!" She exclaimed hugging them both tight.  
  
Hank: "What in the world." He asked, as he and Casey were stacking some boxes behind the counter and he caught a glimpse of Ben standing next to Meg.  
  
Casey: "Hank.Don't start anything!" But it was too late, Hank had already left Casey alone behind the counter, to confront Ben about always hurting his darling daughter so much.  
  
Hank: "What are you doing here Evans?!" He asked harshly, hugging Meg tightly.  
  
Joan: "Don't start anything Hank. For God's sake!" She warned him, knowing how upset Meg would be if she found out that her fiancée and father pretty much couldn't even be in the same room together anymore.  
  
Hank: "Don't start what? He's the one always starting things. First it's because he can't forget about his presumed dead wife, which makes Meg leave this town and go back to Ludlow. Then his sick twin brother appears out of nowhere and almost kills Meg. Then his presumed dead wife appears on Meggie's wedding day and then when they're about to leave for their elopement his unknown son and nanny appear on their doorstep. Try to top that one Evans!?!" He asked.  
  
Meg: "Then it's true? After everything Ben and I have been through you still have doubts about him?"  
  
Hank: "Meggie.All I've ever wanted for you has been to be happy, and since you've been involved with Ben, I haven't seen any signs of that."  
  
Meg: "Well.I am and even more so because Ben asked me to marry him last night in our new home and whether you approve or not doesn't matter anymore because Ben is my family now and if you want to take part in that family along with mom, Sara and Casey you'd better start accepting Ben as the man I'm going to marry in a month or two!!" She explained to her father angrily.  
  
Joan: "Hank!! For goodness sake can't you see what you're doing to her? You're breaking any hopes she's ever had about being a family with Ben and with you. Please honey.Accept it!!"  
  
Casey: "Hank? Ben loves Meg, all you have to do is look into his eyes and that love will appear just as much as he's standing before us right now!"  
  
Hank: "I guess you're all right. I probably have been wrong about you Ben. After all the only thing that counts is whether you love Meggie and you do in my eyes!" He smiled, as he and Ben shook hands and Meg leaped into her father's embrace to thank him for his blessing.  
  
Chapter 13 - The Prospect Of A Family  
  
Later that day Ben was helping Benjy pack his things to take to his and Meg's new house. Ben could sense that Benjy wasn't all that OK with the news of leaving the house he'd called home for a month or so now. Ben and Benjy were up in Maria's old studio.  
  
Ben: "Are you OK son?" He asked Benjy, as he was putting away some clothes in a suitcase, while Benjy was packing away all of his toys.  
  
Benjy: "I guess." He replied vaguely.  
  
Ben: "You guess what? You do know that there isn't anything that you can't tell me right?"  
  
Benjy: "I know daddy it's just.What about mommy? Will she come and visit too?"  
  
Ben: "Son.Your mommy will soon have a house of her own where you can come and visit just as much as you like. How does that sound? Or does this have something to do with someone else, like Meg?" He asked reading his son's mind as usual.  
  
Benjy: "She probably hates me." He sighed.  
  
Ben: "Excuse me? Off course she doesn't hate you son."  
  
Benjy: "Then why haven't she been by? I want to make friends with her, but how when she isn't even here?" Ben: "Look Benjy.The reason for Meg not having been here haven't been connected to something you've done wrong. She's been through a lot and she's been dealing with it with her family and friends. But tell you what.As soon as we go home to the new house, I'll bet that you and Meg will play and have fun together. How's that?"  
  
Benjy: "Is she there too?"  
  
Ben: "Yes.I bought the house for her and when we arrive there's something else that Meg and I need to talk to you about."  
  
Benjy: "Is it about Tess? Where is she daddy?" He asked.  
  
Ben: "Tess is in jail because she did some not so great things son. She arranged you to be kidnapped and because of that Meg and I almost ruined our lives together. You have to understand that what Tess did was VERY wrong, and I don't ever want to hear about you feeling so insecure concerning Meg's and my relationship, OK?"  
  
Benjy: "OK daddy! Why does Meg still like me?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.  
  
Ben: "Well.Meg is a person with a lot of patience and love within. She cares about the people around her. She's been with me through a lot and therefore she's compassionate."  
  
Benjy: "What does 'compassionate' mean?" He asked, as a natural 5 year old.  
  
Ben: "Compassionate means that she's kind and that she feels with others when they're unhappy and that she tries to help them out, which is exactly what Meg is all about!" He tried to explain.  
  
Benjy: "Is that why you love here so much? More than mommy?"  
  
Ben: "Benjy.I will always care for your mommy because she gave me you, but.Meg has my heart and soul and she's the woman I was meant to be with. I don't expect you to kiss and make up with her, but I do expect you to welcome her into our family and to be nice and kind to her. Just like Meg has been to you, OK?"  
  
Benjy: "OK daddy! I promise to be good. Meg is OK! Do you still think that she has her 'Dodgers' shirt?"  
  
Ben: "I couldn't imagine anything else. Why?"  
  
Benjy: "It would be so cool to sleep in it daddy. I watched a game with them with uncle Ricardo and auntie Gabi and they were 'radical'!!" He explained making Ben smile due to the newest addition of words in Benjy vocabulary.  
  
A few hours later Ben and Benjy had packed everything that needed to be packed and had just arrived at the new house. Ben took Benjy's hand in his as they made their way into the house.  
  
Ben: "So.What do you think Benjy?" He asked, as he saw that the entire house had been furnished since he'd last been there.  
  
Benjy: "It's beautiful daddy!" He exclaimed, walking into the house and climbing the stairs to get upstairs.  
  
Meg: "Ben? Are you already here?" She asked, as she came out from the kitchen with an apron tied around her waist.  
  
Ben: "I think that you failed to tell me something Ms. Cummings?"  
  
Meg: "What?" She asked not understanding him.  
  
Ben: "I only left you at 'The Shockwave' a couple of hours ago and in that time you got the house furnished and managed to put something into the oven."  
  
Meg: "Well.Since I'm going to be a pretend mom for Benjy I'd better give it my best shot!" She smiled at him, as Ben lowered his head and their lips met.  
  
Benjy: "Daddy!! I love my new room!" He exclaimed charging down the stairs, just as Ben and Meg broke their lip lock.  
  
Meg: "Benjy.So what do you think of this place, huh?" She asked going down to eye level with him.  
  
Benjy: "It's radical. The room is even bigger than the one at the old place. Can I bring my stuff into it."  
  
Ben: "In a few minutes son! First Meg and I need to talk to you about something very important." Benjy: "Like what?" He asked sitting down on the couch, while Ben and Meg stood next to him.  
  
Ben: "Like this.Benjy you know how much I love Meg and when a person loves another person they want to be married to that special someone. You know.Like uncle Ricardo and auntie Gabi?"  
  
Benjy: "Are you two going to get married?" He asked with big eyes.  
  
Ben: "When I'm legally divorced from your mommy, then yes. I want to make Meg my wife soon, and then perhaps we can all start being the family we all want to become."  
  
Meg: "Are you OK with that Benjy?" She asked kindly.  
  
Benjy: "What about mommy? Will she find someone special too?" He asked, drawing a stricken look from Ben.  
  
Ben: "I'm sure that when the divorce goes through your mommy will probably go and party with Annie and then she'll perhaps meet a man, whom she'll want to spend her life with, like I want to with Meg. Do you understand that son?"  
  
Benjy: "Yes daddy! All I want is for everyone to be happy. And if two houses and to other people make you happy then it's OK with me!" He smiled at Ben and Meg.  
  
Ben: "Well.Now that that's settled how about we get the table set for dinner, huh?"  
  
Benjy: "Meggie.?" He asked, making Meg squat down on one knee.  
  
Meg: "Yes Benjy." She asked.  
  
Benjy: "Can I sleep in your 'Dodgers' shirt tonight?"  
  
Meg: "I think we can manage that.And who knows maybe in the morning we can watch a game too, huh?" She asked, which made Benjy very happy because now he finally had a woman in the family who liked sports.  
  
Chapter 14 - The Joining Of Ben & Meg  
  
The day of the joining of Ben and Meg had arrived. Meg wore a satin, white, strapless dress, which reached her to the ankles. The top was embroided with white lace and the rest of the dress was in pure satin. She wore a pair of high-heeled sandals with small clasps on, and her veil was the same as last time. Together with the dress she wore her pearl necklace, her pearl bracelet and on her thigh she wore a blue garter. Her bridal bouquet consisted of wild, white roses and orchids. Ben wore the same as last time, as so did his best men Casey and Michael and Gabi, Vanessa and Sara also wore the same as last time. Antonio was once again the man in charge of the ceremony and Naomi - the daughter of one of Meg's nearest friends from Ludlow was the flower girl and Benjy was the ring bearer. Bette and Joan had been chosen to recite a paragraph from the bible. Joan as Meg's mother and Bette as the nearest thing Ben had ever had to a real friend in Sunset Beach other than Meg off course.  
  
Antonio: "Friends.Family.We're here AGAIN to join these two people; Benjamin George Evans and Megan Hannah Cummings in holy matrimony. If there are anyone here who knows just cause why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, then let them speak now or forever hold their peace." 'The Mission' was bubbling with silence and Ben gave Meg's hand an extra squeeze as a sing of 'we made it'.  
  
Antonio: "At this time Bette Katzenkazrahi and Joan Cummings - friend of the groom and mother of the bride would like to recite Corinthians 1C 13: 1 - 13.  
  
Bette: "If I speak in tongues of men or of angels, but have not loved,   
  
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.   
  
And if I have prophetic powers,   
  
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,   
  
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,   
  
but do not have love, I am nothing.   
  
If I give away all I have,   
  
and if I deliver my body to be burned,   
  
and have not love, I gain nothing." Joan: "Love is patient and kind; it is not boastful or rude.   
  
Love does not insist on its own way;   
  
it is not irritable or resentful;   
  
it does not rejoice in wrong, but rejoices in the right.   
  
Love bears all things, believes all things,   
  
hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." Bette: "As for prophecies, they will pass away;   
  
as for tongues, they will cease;   
  
as for knowledge, it will pass away.   
  
For our prophecies are imperfect,   
  
and our knowledge is imperfect.   
  
But when perfection comes,   
  
the imperfect will pass away.   
  
When I was a child, I thought like a child;   
  
I spoke like a child; I reasoned like a child.   
  
When I became a man, I put away childish things.   
  
So faith, hope, love , abide these three;   
  
but the greatest of these is love."  
  
Antonio: "Thank you very much Bette and Joan.And now it's time for the exchanging of vows and rings. Ben." Ben turned to Meg and said  
  
Ben: "My darling Megan.We're here again. I guess somewhere within I also counted on faith, hope and love to bring us together again and they did. But like Bette and Joan just said it was mostly because of the love we share for one another. We're on a path to be happy as a family. We'll probably also soon start making a family together with Benjy and I for one can't wait to become your husband and the father of our babies. I'm with you in spirit forever and always!"  
  
Antonio: "Meg." Ben dried away the tears Meg had cried through his vows and Meg said  
  
Meg: "I was always a person who was very careful in my life as a young girl. But when I arrived here in Sunset Beach something happened to me. I suddenly stood to loose everything with one wrong decision and I loved it. What I'm trying to say is that through 3 years of loving you and being loved by you, I'm ready for more adventures - just more in the name of building a family and falling even more in love with you if it's even possible. I'll love you always - you'll always be right here in this heart of mine - forever!" She ended, as a few tears made their way down her cheeks again.  
  
Antonio: "Benjy.Would you please come forward with the rings please." He asked his little nephew and Benjy came to Antonio's side where he blessed them and gave them on to Casey and to Sara, who gave them to respectively Ben and Meg.  
  
Antonio: "Ben.Repeat after me. Take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity  
  
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Ben: "Take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!" Ben repeated after Antonio, as he slid the ring onto Meg's finger before lifting both her hands to his mouth, where he kissed her knuckles tenderly while Meg gazed into his eyes compassionately before letting Antonio continue.  
  
Antonio: "Meg.Repeat after me. Take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."  
  
Meg: "Take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!" Meg repeated after Antonio, as she slid the ring onto Ben's ring finger but not before giving the ring a tender kiss.  
  
Antonio: "Do you Benjamin George Evans take this woman Megan Hannah Cummings to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"  
  
Ben: "I do!" He smiled, gazing into Meg's eyes.  
  
Antonio: "And do you Megan Hannah Cummings take this man Benjamin George Evans to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?"  
  
Meg: "I do!" She smiled into Ben's eyes.  
  
Antonio: "Then.By the power invested in me I declare you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." He replied, as Ben took his bride; Meg Evans into his embrace and kissed her so passionately that it should have been forbidden to being done in the house of the Lord.  
  
Antonio: "It's now with great pleasure that I present to you - Mr. & Mrs. Ben Evans!" And with that being said, Meg linked her arm in Ben's as they together with Benjy and the brides' maids and the best men walked out of 'The Mission' and on their way to 'The Club' where the reception was to be held.  
  
Hank: "I am so happy for you two!" He beamed, as everyone had arrived at 'The Club' and he and Joan were talking to Ben & Meg.  
  
Meg: "Thanks daddy that means a lot!" She smiled at him and hugged him.  
  
Sara: "Hi you guys. It's time for you two to share a piece of wedding cake." She explained, as everyone made their way to the table with the giant wedding cake.  
  
Michael: "Hey Meg! Try and make a British cake out of Ben!!" Everyone started to laugh and Ben playfully warned Michael  
  
Ben: "You'd better watch out it's not going to be a Lifeguard cake she's going to make buddy!!" Everyone started once more to laugh as Ben and Meg placed their hands over the knife and cut a nice and big piece of wedding cake and placed it onto a plate. They both took a piece of cake between their fingers and fed the other person.  
  
Joan: "Oh how cute!" She exclaimed, as Benjy and Naomi had decided to follow Ben & Meg's lead and were also feeding each other cake - this was just the chocolate cake, which had been placed on a table their height.  
  
After a few hours the toasts had been made and the garter and bridal bouquet had been thrown and Ben & Meg were ready to leave 'The Club' for a needed honeymoon in Venice, Italy.  
  
Ben: "You be a good boy to Hank, Joan, Abuela Carmen and mommy, OK?" He asked Benjy as he and Meg were about to run out of 'The Club' and into the waiting limousine, which would take them to 'LAX'.  
  
Benjy: "I promise.Bye daddy and Meggie!" Ben & Meg both hugged him tightly before running from the entrance of 'The Club' to the limousine trying to avoid the wedding rice.  
  
The End 


End file.
